Improvement in addressing-machines



nrrnn STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. DAVISON, 0F MONTANA, IO'VA.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,567, dated July 4, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. DAVISON, of Montana, in the county of Boone and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Addressing-Flachines and I do declare that the tollowing is a true and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and being a part ot' this speeilication, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved machine, with one side broken away to show the interior arrangement thereof. Fi 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective of the knife or shear. Fig. 4 shows in perspective a portion of the paste-box at the diseha-rge opening.

Like letters refer to like parts in each figure.

This invention relates to an improvement in the construction oi' that class of mailin g-machin es wherein the printed addresses onA a mailing-strip are successively cut therefrom and aflixed to the copies ofthe papers or publication, and consists in the novel and peculiar construction and arv'an gement within a proper case of the paste-supplying and feeding mechanism, with relation to the shear or cutter, and in the novel and peculiar arrangement ot' a rack and pinions for operating the above-named devices in such a. manner that the mailing process is greatly expedited, each paper addressed requiring but a single movement of the case in the hand ot the operator, leaving' the other free to remove the addressed publication.

ln the drawing, A represents a suitable case, open at the top and bottom. B is a light frame hinged at its rear end within the bottom of the case. C are light haltleaf springs, so secured.

to a cross-bar in the bottom ofthe case as to press downward the i'ree end ofthe fra-me B. I) is a vertical .rack-bar at each inner side of the ease, toothed on both edges, connected by crossbars at top and bottom, and pivoted at their lower ends to the trame B. These rack-bars are ,guided in their vertical movement by feathers or mediate gea-rs at each end of a shaft, E', transversely journaled in the case, whlch gears mesh with the rack-teeth a on the front edges of the rack-bars, and with the rack-teeth b on the rear edgesot' a transverse slide, F, having a vertical movement inthe trol 1t part of the ca se, and which is guided in a manner similar to the rack-bars. The lower end, at least, oi' the slide should be of properly-teinpered stcel, with its rearmost edge sharpened as a shear, c, while the rest may be serrated at d, to hold and press the mailing-strip. G is a shear-bar, preferably of steel, transversely secured in the bottom of the case in such a manner that when the slide F is pressed down the shear c will slide in contact with its fa ce to clip oit' projecting end ot the strip. H is a drum transverse] y journaled in the case, and carrying at one or both ends a loose pinion, I, which meshes with the rack-teeth a on the rear edge of the rack-bars l). On the drum H is a ratchet, f, with which e11- ga ges a sp1-in g-pawvl, g, pivoted to the pinion I, giving the drum H an intermittent rotary motion a-t eachy movement ot' the rack-bars. J is a pa ste-box secured in the rear upper part of the case, with an opening in the lower iront edge thereof to permit the outiiow of the paste contained therein, the lower edge oi' the front plate of the box being serrated to prevent the paste from clogging and to insure an even distribution, as shown at l1, Fig. 4, in which the opening in the box is shown at 1. l( is a drinn transversely journaled behind the shear-bar G. M is another under the lower rear edge ot' the paste-box, and N is another a little in front and above the plane of the bottom of the paste-box. O is an endless paste-belt of cloth passing around the drums H, K, M, and N. P is a removable cylindertransversely journaled in the lower rear part ot the case, on which is wound a strip, l, having printed thereon the addresses of the` subscribers and such other matter as is required. lhe strip passes up from its spool or cylinder I to a guide drum, Q., at the upper rear end of the case, thence forward over the pasteboX, thence directly. to and under the shea-r c of the slide F, projecting the width of an address beyond the shear-bar G, on which it rests. The under and unprintedside ot' the strip R rest-s on the upper side ot' belt 0, carrying a coating of paste, and is drawn alon by itin the direction shown by the arrows.

The operation of the deviceis as followsi The machine rests on a table, the springs throwing upward the case, as shown in Fig. l. The mailclerk introduces the paper between the case and frame with his right hand; With his left he quicklyv presses down the machine, which is provided with a handle, S, for that purpose. The upward movement of the rack-bars forces down the slide F, whose knife-edge cuts the projectin cud of the strip and presses on the paper introduced under the case 5 when the pressure is removed the spriu gs throw up the case, bringing down the rack-bars, when the pawl g of the pinion I engages with the ratchet f of and partially rotates the drum H, carrying the belt and strip forward a distance equalto the width of an address, and so on until the addressing of a mail is completed.

The machine, it -will be seen, requires the use of but one hand to operate it, leaving the other free to handle the papers, Which enables the op erator to mail with great speed. With this ma chine he can mail with either hand, changing about when tired, Which is not so frequent as with others of that class which are carried on one arm.

. mediate gears E, shaft E', shear-bar G, drums H,

K, M, N, and Q, pinion I, paste-box J, endless belt O, and cylinder P, for pasting, feeding, cuttin off and afxing the address-strip R, as herein described and set forth.

GEORGE A. DAVISON.

Witnesses:

A. H. SWEn'rsER, G. D. ROME. 

